As written by Manisha Krishnan, a staff writer for Vice.
The particulars of the shooting that took in La Loche, Saskatchewan Friday…A 17-year-old boy, who had reportedly been bullied mercilessly about his appearance, shot dead brothers Dayne and Drayden Fontaine at a residence, before continuing his rampage at La Roche Community School, where he killed teacher Adam Wood and teacher’s aide Marie Janvier. The teen, who is a minor and has not been named, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
Krishnan writes what appears to be the start of another tragic shooting death happening to our neighbors in the North. However, the tone changes as it becomes clear the response to these deaths within the First Nation Community is not typical to what is seen the US:
Unlike similar situations that have occurred in the US, where the coverage quickly turns to conversations about gun control and extreme ideologies, the response here was markedly different. There seems to be an acknowledgment that there are larger systemic issues at play. Those working on the ground say the underlying reason for the two outbursts, and an overarching problem with violence in indigenous communities, is poverty. They’re not surprised by what happened in La Loche. And judging by the relatively muted reaction coming from the public, Canadians aren’t either. ‘All of these incidents of internal violence in First Nations communities are pretty much a function of the crushing poverty that our Aboriginal communities endure on a daily basis,” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, told VICE. “What has become abundantly clear in this case in La Loche is there are absolutely no services available, no fundamental basic services to the people there, save and except for the school itself.” ‘
Follow the source for more details about the First Nation Community of La Loche and how societal apathy plus systemic racism have created the current circumstances that plague our brothers and sisters.